australian airline Qantas placed two new orders, one for twelve wide-body aircraft Boeing 787 Dreamliner (including four 787-9s and eight 787-10), and another for twelve Airbus A350 jumbo jets.
The delivery of these twelve Dreamliners, scheduled between 2026 and 2027, will almost double the Australian airline’s 787 Dreamliner fleet. This is Qantas’ first order for the 787-10, a stretched version of the 787-9 with a shorter range. The 787s will gradually replace the 28 existing Airbus A330-200/300s in its fleet.
“This is another multi-billion dollar investment (…) and it’s great news for our customers and associates.“, said Alan Joyce, CEO of Qantas Group, in announcing this latest order. “The 787 and the GE engines powered by it are proven to perform extremely well.“
Boeing says the 787 helps Qantas meet its short- and long-term sustainability goals, reducing fuel burn and emissions by up to 25% and offering quieter engines compared to jets of the previous generation. The planes are also capable of flying on a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blend, an important route to reducing emissions.
The 12 Airbus A350-1000s ordered will be delivered from 2028. Qantas said they will replace its 10 A380 superjumbos, which will all be phased out of its fleet in 2032. Last year, the Australian airline already placed an order milestone for a dozen Airbus A350-1000s – the European maker’s largest wide-body aircraft, capable of non-stop flights from Sydney to London and Sydney to New York – as part of its “Project Sunrise” for very long-haul flights.
These two new orders for 787 and A350 are part of Qantas’ extensive fleet renewal program which aims to modernize and develop its international network.
